Hale Theatre Centre owner David Dietlein carries on family tradition in the arts

David Dietlein opened Hale theater in 2003. He has several other family members who are also in the theater business. It was a tradition started by his grandparents.Kelsey Perry/Community Impact Newspaper

David Dietlein opened Hale theater in 2003. He has several other family members who are also in the theater business. It was a tradition started by his grandparents. (Kelsey Perry/Community Impact Newspaper)

The inside of the theater has already undergone major upgrades to the sound and lighting systems.Kelsey Perry/Community Impact Newspaper

While the west wing expansion is under construction, the shows go on with a full season of offerings.Kelsey Perry/Community Impact Newspaper

David Dietlein was born into the theater business, but that didn’t make his move to Gilbert in the early 2000s any less of a gamble, when downtown was merely a ghost town.

“At the time, it was really, really destitute,” Dietlein said. “It wasn’t at all what it is today.”

Still, something drew him here.

“I tried Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler and everything,” Dietlein said. “I was driving around, thinking, ‘What feels right?’ And Gilbert was the one that felt right. Just a feeling, there was no metrics to it at all.”

Theater named for grandparents

“There was really no year-round theater in the East Valley, so this was a great location,” Dietlein said.

Today, Hale Centre Theatre has become a staple in the center of a now-bustling downtown.

“I thought, ‘You know, that water tower could be a pretty cool thing if it ever turned into a fun little area,’” Dietlein said. “It’s been crazy. It could’ve gone the other way. I had no idea. Many cities’ redevelopments stall and sputter and don’t go anywhere.”

Remodeling

The theater is in the midst of a massive remodel that began in November and is expected to be completed this fall. The facelift includes upgrades to the sound system, lighting, indoor and outdoor facilities, and the addition of a new on-site rehearsal studio and set-building space.

“We have one more surprise that we haven’t announced yet,” Dietlein said. “I’m still working on that, but it will be a cool little concept that’s forthcoming.”